[caption id="attachment_2523471" align="alignright" width="299"] Because the Cedar Creek Battlefield Visitors Center is not on National Park grounds, it can—and does—sell Confederate Battle Flags and other Civil War memorabilia featuring the flag. In terms of actual Civil War-era Confederate flags, this controversy will not have much of an effect, as there are only some 60 known flags in existence.[/caption]...

[caption id="attachment_2523464" align="aligncenter" width="600"] This Tiffany Seven-Light Lily Lamp with Gold Dore Base is one of the most innovative styles of the Tiffany lamps. Originally selling for $80 100 years ago, it sold for $21,850 (including the buyer’s premium).[/caption] A century ago, people who wanted to buy fine American-made electric lighting fixtures were presented with a bewildering array...

[caption id="attachment_2523458" align="aligncenter" width="600"] A Gorham Luxembourg cucumber server like this one would be part of an elaborate Victorian table setting, as formal, unique serving utensils for almost every kind of food—oysters, asparagus, bone marrow, crackers, fruit preserves, horseradish, olives—were part of a daily fine-dining experience.[/caption] Wealthy Victorians had a formal, unique serving utensil for almost every kind...

In a fit of Spring cleaning, never mind what time of year it was, my wife decided to clean out her old cedar chest. When she got the chest emptied she realized that it didn’t smell like cedar anymore. This was not some cheap import chest with a fake aroma. This was solid cedar chest, circa 1925, that...

[caption id="attachment_2491219" align="aligncenter" width="480"] The artwork on these Northwestern Litho Co. Milwaukee art nouveau bock beer posters, circa 1912-14, reflects the fashions popular at that time. Collecting vintage and antique advertising offers a wide variety of categories, which means there is usually something ti interest everybody.[/caption] During the past 50-plus years, Early American advertising has become quite collectable....

[caption id="attachment_2483635" align="aligncenter" width="270"] New York Governor[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2483636" align="aligncenter" width="270"] Kentucky Chief Justice[/caption] Ever since the days of early motor vehicle registration there has always been fierce competition among drivers to obtain a low-number license plate. In many states, to many motorists, bearing a low-number plate has an instant connotation of status, power, wealth and even political...

Chances are you or someone you know will have an opportunity to sell a military collectible at some time in your life. A bold statement? Not really. Consider: collecting militaria is a hobby dominated largely by the Baby Boomer generation and older. In fact, according to U.S. News & World Report, it is the eighth most popular collecting...

[caption id="attachment_2491031" align="alignright" width="282"] This fan back Windsor arm chair has another section rising above the crest rail called a “comb.”[/caption] One type of chair that everyone is familiar with is the ever present Windsor chair. But why are there so many of them and what is the basis for America’s love affair with that type chair? The...

Something you see for sale at almost any flea market or tag sale are antique telegraph insulators. These are the heavy glass fittings found at the top of telephone poles, about the size of a softball, that hold and insulate electric wires from the wooden pole. They were manufactured by the hundreds of thousands, most of them are...

The early Imperial German Empire took much pride in fashionable uniforms and headgear for its military, often choosing ornamental gear over more practical pieces. Brass helmets with colorful plumes, exotic bearskin and other exotic furs were made to create a sense of wealth and power. Grenadiers, or “grenade men,” wore high peaked hats to create a false sense...